Technology

Solutions that work for clay need to be innovative and push the boundaries of what can be done with technology. We've recommended a digital solution that can deliver a dynamic, interactive, virtual teaching and learning experience for clay and have assessed how this would work in a teaching studio environment and what the cost and implications would be.

The research revealed that there are several key components needed to create the ‘virtual studio’. We grouped the components into hardware and software categories with multiple options to allow for a ‘best fit’ for both spaces and budgets. 3D floorplans were designed to help visualize the area and placement of components.

A 3-camera setup is recommended to capture the teacher face-on as well as side and top views for demonstrations. These can be set up on tripods or an articulating arm for closeup shots of your work. You can reposition the arm even with dirty hands.

Two monitors are recommended for teachers – one to manage the class and the other to see the video feed of the students. A wireless headset with microphone is recommended so that the teacher can always be heard even if they move away, and to reduce entanglements.

Lighting is key. If it’s too dark, too bright, or too focused, the video quality will suffer and details of the work will be lost. Multiple soft boxes are recommended to provide even and diffused lighting.

A control system is needed to switch between camera feeds as well as for operating the conferencing software. It can be set up for one-touch operation to change things like camera angles, muting audio, or setting breakout rooms.

Read the Technology Summary Report or request the full report using the Contact Us form.